Irrigating device.



L. lSCHLEGI-LL. IRRIGATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MARfIS, 1914.

I 1 166,789. Patented I'Jan.- 4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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, L. SCHLEGEL. IRHIGMHUGDEVICE.'A

APPLlcATloN flu-:D MAR. 13. 1914.

1,166,789. l Pa'tented Jan.4,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Lhchleg COLUMNA PLANouRAPH Co.. WAsHlNaToN, D, c.

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LEONARD scnnnenn, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA;y

IRRIGATING DEVICE.

Speciicaton of lLetters Patent. i Patented gli. 4, 1916,

Application led Marchl, 1914. Serial No. 824,410.

To @AZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that 1, LEONARD SGHLEGEL, aV

citizen of the United States, residing atv Los Angeles, in the county of Los `Angeles and State of-California, have invented new and useful :improvements in TrrigatingDe-V vices, of which the ,following is a specifi.-

' Irrigation by underground conduits vislargely practised in this country, the usual" method being to arrange a systemV of mains beneath the area to be irrigated, and provide hydrants, or hydrant connections at'suitable intervals whereby thewater may be admitted to a series of furrows of limited" eXtent, or otherwise distributed over small areas. The ditch method for the latter deytail is generally followed.v By reason of the great potential fertility made available` by water in most of the regions where such' .irrigation is practised, it is customary to Y plant at closer intervals than on ordinary farming land, so that a vgiven area under irrigation'usually has a greater value in` productive capacity than av corresponding area where the natural rainfall andother conditions permit free plant growth;

An aim of the invention is to give a portf able hydrant andterminal especially adapt-` ed to facilitate formation of af'connectionV with a main below the surface of the ground. 1t is also a valuable feature ofthe invention that a simple cutoff is presented liable in a minimum .degree to derangement. A

desirable attainment, too, isthe fact that all -elements may be produced at an extremelyy low cost. Y

i Additional objects, advantages and *fea-v tures of invention will appear, some of which will be apparent from thefollowing descriptionv and from the drawings, inwhichy Figure 1 is a sectional view of a part of a main, with a hydrant terminal, and the hydrant in position. Fig. 2 is a detail sec; tion of the hydrant and seat. detail of the pit` Fig. 4 -is a cross section of the hydrant. Fig. 5' shows'a modification of the clamp.A l A y f y There isillustratedan underground water main 10 of any suitable-construction, sheet metal being indicated in the presenty case. Connected in the main there is a T' 11, having an enlarged stem base 12,'some-` what in the form of an inverted funnel,

whereby the efficiency of a low pressure sup- Fig 3 isa Y ply as is generally usedA in irrigation is greatlyA increased. The bodyof the-T section is formed of, heavy sheet metal, and of diameter to fit any size; underground pipe, metal or cement,'the upperend of the stem or lateral l15.being circular pand, slightly flared atits upper end. The enlargement of thebase of thelateral is principally in ay longitudinal direction 'with respect 'to the j main'10, and the Vupper end of .the lateral is nearly` or quite equal in diameter to the diameter of the main. vThis isVV permissible as but-,one lateral will take andy desirable, oif water at. a time under normal use. Set inthe outer end ofthe lateral there isa casting. 13 having a tapered annular flange thelater'al 15. vThe casting terminates immediately above the lateral, and is providedA 14 secured watertight in the upper end of Y with an'` annular concentric channel 16 there in, the outer side 17 of which is considerably` Vhigher than the innerside 17', and flared for a purposeto be indicated. This channeledvportio'n comprises anenlargement 18 projecting some distance outwardly from the top yof the lateral 15, the channelbeing of considerable breadth and yet, be-f ing located without the diameter of the lat-y eral 15y does notl involve any7 restriction 'of the capacity of the lateral. :The underside of the enlargement 18 is sloped downwardly fromits outer side, for-a purpose to be indi- Y cated. l

Formed or fixed on the inner side of the casting just below the portion `17 there are diametrically opposed lugs or pins 1 9. The' Y top of the portion 17 is finished to a smooth planiform surface, andY engaged thereon there is Ia cap 20 having arubber-or other suitable gasket 21, andthe cap'isprovided with the clamp hooks 22 turned in `oppo, f-

site directions, whereby when the cap is pre'- se'ntedagainst the vseat and rotated the hooks will engage under the lugs and hold the cap snugly in place.;V diameter vto the portion 17', so that it does This cap corresponds in not project overfthe channel '16.' The capfv is provided with a hand -hold 23 whereby' it'may be manipulated,'although any other suitablefmeans may be employed. The hooks 22 may have'shank portions 24 eX- tended `slidablylthrough the cap and provided w'ithnuts 25 on top ofthe cap whereby they may be' drawn tightly against the lugs if desired. The lower lends of thelhooks are preferably inthe fornroftapered arms 26 so that under rotation of the cap it ,will

be gradually tightened on its seat.

In the bottom of the channel 16 there is a gasket 27, which I preferably formvin two parts, the lower a rubber ring 9.8 and the upper a woven protective fabric 29 of simi,- lar dimensions, although it may be thicker than the rubber. This gasket takes up th-e full width of the channel, and is intended to form a moderately tight jointv withl a,

portable light-weight hydrant 30, here; shown as formed of sheet metaland consistingV of a central cylindrical portion 31 open at each end. and having the two opposite spouts 32. The top of the outer side 17 of the casting 13 is a few inches below the top` level of the ground, and surrounding the'l there is a suitable housing 33 having a cover 34 formed integrally or rather attached to the housing., the cover resting uponk the outer side 17, of thecasting at theupper end of the T. This portion 17 is suf iciently high t0 support the cover clear of the cap, but as shown the cover requires' to be recessed slightly for the handhold 23,andthe' upper ends of the hook shanks 23 which are located outwardly of the ends of the hand hold. rlhe cover and housing are formed of wood lumber and the hand hold is accommodated by forming an oblong opening in the cover, this opening being covered by a piece of sheetv metal. T he top of this cover is on or slightly below the level of the ground, and is put in place when the hydrant is removed. It will thus be seen that a field may be eouipped with a system including a large number of outlets, without making an unsightly appearance, or interfering with the free movement of drills, cultivators and harvesters.

The hydrant has the lower edge portion of the cylinder 31 recurved so as to present a rounded surface upon the. gasket 27, the diameter of theV cylinder corresponding to thek medial diameter of thef channel` 16, so that the emplacement of the hydrant in position upon the gasket will not be diiii'cult. Fixed upon the cylinder'31 so asf to clear the .portion 17 of the outlet,there is a heavy ring 35 in two parts ha-vingopposedflange portions: 35 receiving clamping boltsA 36, therethrough. and having their outer ends formed to hold revclubly a clamp 37, at each side ofthe cylinder. The clamp consists of a threaded shank 38 extended revolubly between ythe flanges 35 and having the nut 39 engaged on its upper end, and a head 40 at the lower end of the shankadapted to engage under thev enlargement 18, to draw the hydrant firmly against thecasting 13 when the:nuts are tightened. These flanges 35 are ypreferably located to onefside, of the respective: spoutsa32, which. are spaced very closely.- thereover, so that. theel water: dis.- chargeclswllacausela.miuimumeflmsiur the latter being in itself an important attainment.

It is an important advantage of this constructionv that the hydrant may be quickly secured upon the outlet tended in -any direction, and no accuracy of adjustment is required. The gasket 21 is held in place bv means of a metal ring 41 held against the under side of the cap 2O by screws engaged through the ends of the hand hold Q3, and in suitable threaded openings .in the ring lll.

lnuse, the covers are normally kept over the outlets, and a field equipped with this systemwill present an unobstructed appearance as far. as the irrigating means is concerned. rlhe covers will permit horses to step thereon with safety, and will support the wheels of such apparatus as may be driven upon the field. lf desired, a filling of concrete may be introduced into the excava tion for; the l, the top of this filling being arranged to receive the edOes of the housing 33. Vihen a section of the field is to be irrigated, the local ditches being properly formed, the cover 34- is removed from over the outlet, and the lower end ,of the hydrant cylinder set in the channel 15 and theclampsv 37 tightened. The spouts are of course directed toward feeder ditches terminating thereunder. The cap 2O is then removed by inserting the hand in the cylinder 31 and grasping the hand hold 23, giving it a rotating movement horizontally and lifting it up. lf the cap has been tightly clamped, it would be necessary to first loosen the nuts 25 before turning the cap. rlfhe depth of the cylinder is sufficient to prevent the overflow ofthe water at the top, yet not such as to cause inconvenience to the operator. T he provision of the fabric upper portion in the gasket 27 serves to prevent damage to the rubber by particles of sand and grit which are likely to get under the edge of the cylinder 31. The direction of the spouts may be quickly shifted by loosening the clamps 37, which do not require to be under great strain, on account of the low pressure of the water. Any other form of clamp may be employed, such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 5.

The system may of course be used in conjunction with movable surface pipe and in such connection it has a marked value over the customary hydrant construction. Here tofore, on account of the obstructions presented by the hydrants or their connections, it has been customary to limit the underground system and the number of outlets, and make up for this limited distribution by using surface` pipe which in itself is as expensive in most cases as the underground pipe. Aigreat deal of time in handling and expense.'Y for upkeep as well is involved by thesurfaceipipe and itis an advantage of my-/nfintention that. they amount of surface with the spouts eX- pipe may be greatly reduced, effecting a saving both in labor and upkeep. The sloping under side of the enlargement 18 of the casting 13 causes the clamps to tighten as they are turned inwardly, and it may be found unnecessary to move the nuts to tighten them suiiiciently.

A modiication of the clamp is shown in Fig. 5 where a clamp hook 50 similar to the one 37 is similarly held by the ring 35, being provided with an eye at its upper end in which there is engaged a pin 51 holding the cam lever 52 pivotally. At one limit of its movement of the lever the clamp is free for rotation by means of the lever to move the arm inward or outward. When moved to the opposite limit, the cam 53 on the lever bears on the flanges of the ring drawing the hook upwardly.

What is claimed:

l. In a low pressure irrigating system a duct terminal having a manually `operated removable closure, a portable hydrant constructed and adapted to be iiXed on the terminal around the closure, means to so iiX the hydrant, said hydrant comprising a central tubular body open clear at each end and having an intermediate outlet close above the ground level, said body being of a length to admit the hand and arm of an operator for the removal of the closure, and to form a water column to prevent overflow at the top. Y

2. A hydrant of the class described comprising a stationary terminal member hav- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ing an annular channel concentric therewith, gasket material therein, said terminal member including a 'peripheral shoulder, a

hydrant member comprising a duct member constructed and shaped to set in the chan- .A

nel, having diametrically opposed lateral members, clamping devices slidable therein longitudinally of the duct member and having laterally extended head portious, said clamping members being revoluble, and means for securingthe members in clamped engagement with 'the shoulder of the terminal member as described.

3. In a connection of the class described,

an annular seat member having a peripheral shoulder, a tubular duct member having an end portion constructed to set upon the seat,

and having opposed ring sections coengaged nesses.

LEONARD SCI-ILEGEL.

Witnesses:

MARY E. BosWELL, JOHN SCHLEGEL.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, ID. C. 

